Sheep-holding device



S. H. CROSS. SHEEP HOLDING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1921.

Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

INVENTOR. Silas H Ufa/SS BY Q a i E k ATTORNEY PATENT OFFICE.

81: E. GROSS. 0F SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

SHEEP-HOLDING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

Application filed January 22, 1821. Serial No. 439,125.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SILAS H. Cnoss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sacramento, in the county of Sacramento, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheep- Holdin Devicesand I do declare the following to be a fu. 1, clear, andexact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for holding sheep while shearing them,the principal object being to produce a device by means of which a sheep may be held perfectly rigid and in such a manner that there can be but slight movement thereof to interfere with the shearing operations.

1 ing thereof at any Another object of the invention is to so arrange the sheep-holding parts of the de. vice that by suitable manipulation of the same, all parts of the sheep may be sheared; at one operation and without the necessity of loosening the sheep to change the securtime.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposes for which it is desi ed. r a 1 ese objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a perspective elevation of the device.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross section taken on a line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the automatic self-locking neck-collar.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawlngs, the numeral 1 denotes a platform or table sub stantially central of which and thereunder is a transverse shaft 2, to which the table is flexibly mounted so as to be ca able of rocki movement about the she as an axis. Trom the shaft and central thereof depends a standard 3 turnabl mounted in the intersecting member 4 o the groundbearing support 5.

The parts 2 to 5 inclusive are preferably ordinary pipes and pipe fittings, both for cheapness of construction and ease ofdemountability when desired to store or trans port the device.

Removably fastened in horizontal T- members 6 fixed to the ends of the shaft 2 and beyond the edges of the platform, are the ends of an arch 7, of circular cross section, which extend around one end of the platform a certain distance therefrom. This member is positioned substantially horizontal, and is held from undesired movement relative to the platform by means of side brackets 8 thereon.

Projecting upward from the arch is a standard 9, on the lower end of which is an eye 10, which engages the arch and is free to move lengthwise thereof and to turn on the same, being held against undesired movement by means of a set screw 11.

In the upper end of the standard a rod 12 is slidably and turnably mounted, being a controlled by a set screw 13 in the standard.

The upper end of the rod bends horizontally toward the platform as at 12, to which portion is fixed an automatic self-locking spring collar 14, comprisinga band 15 rig i 1y fixed to the rod, to the ends of which bands are hinged bands 16 and 17 of spring steel, the band 16 having a plurality of holes 16" therein, and the band 17 having anoutwardly turned lip or catch 17 adapted to fasten into any of the holes in the band 16. A stiff band-spring 18 partially surrounds the bands 16 and 17 being fixed to the rod 12, and having its outer ends fixed to the said bands, the tension of the spring being such that the ends thereof tend to separate from each other and likewise tend to keep the bands 16 and 17 in open position.

Positioned on each side of the platform 1 and spaced somewhat therefrom are rods 19,

on which slide sleeves 20, on which sleeves leg 'ps or clamps 21 comprisin inverte itrch-shaped members 22, are swTvelly mounted.

Caps 23 are hinged to the upper edges of the arches, and extend thereacross, having spring-lips 24 adapted to catch in loops 25 on the outside of the arch members.

In operation, the platform 1 is first tilted so as to be virtually vertical, and a shee is backed up thereto. The clamps 21 are t en moved to a position to en age the hind legs of the shee which may t us be firmly held to the plat orm. The collar holding device may then be adjusted to suit the length of the sheep being handled, and the collar then encircled about the neck of the sheep and instantly snapped into a locked position, any effort of the sheep to break from the lock being unavailing. The platform may then be tllted to a horizontal position and the shearing begun. The sheep, it will thus be evident, is resting on its haunches, making the shearing of the stomach and under portionof the sheep an easy matter. Similarly the back may be sheared, as there is ample space between the relatively thin collar support and the sheep.

To get at any parts of the sheep not available with the initial position of the sheep on the device, the member 9 may be moved around the arch 7, thus altering the position of the upper portion of the sheep relative to the platform. The sheep will thus be twisted somewhat, but not enough to hurt the animal, as the leg clamps automatically turn on the swivel connections with the rods 19.

Should it be desired for the convenience of the operator, the collar support may also be swiveled back and forth on the arch besides being moved lengthwise thereof, in order to render the shearing of certain portions of the sheep an easier task.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that l have produced such a device as substantially fulfils the object of the invention as set forth herein.

lVhile this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device still in practice such deviations from-such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims. 1 Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to cure by Letters Patent is 1. A sheep holding device including a platform, a vertically and laterally adjustable neck clamp projecting upwardly vfrom one end of the platform, and horizontally positioned leg clamps swivelly mounted on opposite sides of the platform and arranged for independent longitudinal moven'lent relative thereto.

2. A sheep holding device including a platform, a vertically and laterally adjustable neck clamp projecting upwardly from one end of the platform, guide members extending along the sides of the platform, and horizontal leg clamps swivelly and slidably mounted on the guides.

3. A sheep-holding device including a platform, an arch mounted to the sides of the platform and extending horizontally beyond one end thereof, a standard slidably and rotatably mounted on the arch, and a horizontal neck collar adjustably supported on top of the standard, there being means for holding the standard at any point on the arch and at any angle relative to the platform.

4:. A sheep-holding device including a platform, and an adjustable neck clamp adjustahly mounted to .the platform :ulyieeut one end of the same, such neck clamp comprising a. rigid band, spring bands hinged thereto, the outer ends of such bands being adapted to overlap and lock with each other at a plurality of points, and a spring band secured to the rigid band and to the outer ends of the hinged bands and adapted to normally hold such ends apart.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature.

SILAS H: GROSS. 

